The subject matter described herein relates generally to controlling operation of power generation and delivery systems, and more specifically, to controlling operation of a wind turbine in response to a power grid contingency event.
Wind turbine generators utilize wind energy to produce electrical power. Wind turbine generators typically include a rotor having multiple blades that transform wind energy into rotational motion of a drive shaft, which in turn is utilized to drive an electrical generator to produce electrical power. Each of the multiple blades may be pitched to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the rotor. A power output of a wind turbine generator increases with wind speed until the wind speed reaches a rated wind speed for the turbine. At and above the rated wind speed, the wind turbine generator operates at a rated power. The rated power is an output power at which a wind turbine generator can operate with a level of fatigue to turbine components that is predetermined to be acceptable. At wind speeds higher than a certain speed, or at a wind turbulence level that exceeds a predetermined magnitude, typically referred to as a “trip limit” or “monitor set point limit,” wind turbines may be shut down, or the loads may be reduced by regulating the pitch of the blades or braking the rotor, in order to protect wind turbine components against damage.
Variable speed operation of the wind turbine generator facilitates enhanced capture of energy by the wind turbine generator when compared to a constant speed operation of the wind turbine generator. However, variable speed operation of the wind turbine generator produces electricity having varying voltage and/or frequency. More specifically, the frequency of the electricity generated by the variable speed wind turbine generator is proportional to the speed of rotation of the rotor. A power converter may be coupled between the electric generator and a utility grid. The power converter outputs electricity having a fixed voltage and frequency for delivery on the utility grid.
A balance between a torque on the rotor created by interaction of the rotor blades and the wind and a generator torque facilitates stable operation of the wind turbine. Wind turbine adjustments, for example, blade pitch adjustments, or grid events, for example, low voltages or zero voltages on the grid, may cause an imbalance between the torque on the rotor caused by the wind and the generator torque. The electric generator has an air gap torque between the generator rotor and stator that opposes the torque applied by the rotor. The power converter also controls the air gap torque which facilitates controlling the power output of the electric generator. However, the wind turbine may not be able to operate through certain grid events, or may sustain wear and/or damage due to certain grid events, due to a time period required for adjustments to wind turbine operation to take effect after detecting the grid event.